The main coloring component of hair is a dark pigment melanin, which occurs as granules embedded in the hair cortex. It is a common practice in the beauty parlor industry to treat the hair with a decolorizing agent such as peroxide and thereafter to add a dye to the hair to change color thereof. In addition the color of the hair decreases with age and it is common practice to restore the original color of the hair by applying dyes thereto.
Current rinse off hair products such as shampoos and rinse conditioners give virtually no protection against the fading of dyed hair, caused by the sun because the ultraviolet absorbers are water soluble. Commercially available shampoos containing octyl dimethyl paraaminobenozic acid and ethylcetearyl dimonium tosylate had been found ineffective even though they are sold as shampoos that protect the hair from the ultraviolet rays from the sun.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,876,210 to Wynn discloses certain benzophenone compounds as ultraviolet absorbents. The compounds are disclosed as components perfume, aftershave lotion and lotions for applying to the skin to protect against the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
European Patent Application No. 251,398 to Sabatelli relate to chromophore containing compounds useful sunscreen agents that have the ability to absorb both UVA and UVB wavelength radiation.
The present invention provides a composition that can be added to hair treating formulations that greatly reduces the color loss in dyed hair due to exposure to the UV rays of the sun.